Community Outreach

The Problem

The total burden on the US economy due to vision impairment and blindness in persons aged 40 and older is estimated at over $35 billion dollars annually. This includes direct medical costs for outpatient and pharmaceutical care, indirect costs such as nursing home care, guide dogs, government support services and finally, lost productivity. These costs are expected to increase dramatically over the next 20 years as the US population continues to age. 

Particularly hard hit are minority populations where access to care and insurance coverage is limited. Eye diseases within these groups are disproportionately higher than the general population. 

For example:

• Glaucoma, which shows little symptoms in early and most treatable stages, occurs five times more often in African Americans and much earlier in life than in other racial groups 
• Over 50% of Hispanics over age 40 with diabetes have some evidence of diabetic retinopathy compared with 28% for whites. That level climbs to 70% for Native Americans. 

Working with local civic groups, we bring our services into communities where the need to inform and educate the public about their eye health is the greatest. 

Sources: Prevent Blindness America: The Economic Impact of Vision Problems, 2009;National Eye Institute (NEI), 2010; Indian Health Service government report 2007. 

The Screening Protocol

The Vision Vitals mobile screening unit is essentially a “doctor’s office on wheels” with state-of-the-art equipment to perform vision screenings. Specific tests performed on each individual are as follows:

• Test for Visual Acuity with the Titmis-250 that measures the refractive error.
• Your Visual Field is measured by looking at your peripheral vision with the Zeiss FDT-710.
• Eye fluid pressure is tested to find intra-ocular pressure with the Richert 7 non-contact tonometer.
• Retinal photography is measured by the Kowa Non-Mydriatic Camera to see the general health of retina/optic nerve, visual evidence of disease including diabetes.

No medications are used in the screening process. Specific tests are performed by medical technicians.
The results are reviewed by an attending ophthalmologist or optometrist at the end of the screening with specific recommendations for follow up where necessary.

Vision Vitals Screening Expertise

Vision Vitals is managed by a staff which has over ten years direct experience in mobile eye screening having performed thousands of events and screening hundreds of thousands of individuals using mobile units. 

This gives us the capability to deliver the most comprehensive, non-dilated eye screening evaluation not matter what the location.

The Patient Screening Experience

For demographic tracking purposes, individuals are given a Vision Vitals screening form where they are asked to fill out personal history including age, race, gender, insurance status, last eye exam, recent vision changes or pain in the eyes. A waiver is also signed.

The individual is given a brochure that discusses value of vision screening and what they can expect today.

The individual is then evaluated at each screening station in the mobile vision unit. The results are shared privately by the attending doctor with recommendations as indicated. A copy of screening form with test results and values is also provided.

The individual is requested to complete a brief exit questionnaire regarding eye disease and their follow up instructions where appropriate. Entire process takes approximately 15 minutes.

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